Drilling apparatus



'Sept 4, 1934 E. wHlNNl-:N 1,972,636

' DRILLING APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 5, 1932 y g) m j wlmi? h., 4 m W fg .x nu

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Patented Sept. 4, 1934 1,972,636 DRILLING APPARATUS Eugene Whinnen, Republic, Mich., assignor to Sullivan MachincryCompany, a corporation vi.'Y Massachusetts v I Original applicationJanuary 5, 1932, Serial No.`

584,829. Divided and this lapplication May 23, 1933, serial No. 672,454 i 11 Claims. (o1. 254-29) This invention relates to drilling apparatus, and moi'e particularly to improvements in a snubbing device for the drill rod line of a drilling apparatus of'the oil and gas well type.

An object ofthis invention is to provide an imprcveddrill rod line controlling means for a drilling apparatus. Another object is to providek an improved rod line snubbing device. A further object is to provide an improved rod line snubbing device having improved rod line gripping means and improved operating means for the gripping means. Still another object is to provide an improved mounting means for the rod line gripping means. n Yet another object is to provide an improved snubbing device for the rod line of an oil and gas well drilling apparatus whereby axial movement of the rod line in either direction may be controlled, the snubbing device automatically preventing upward movement of the rod line and having cooperating means whereby, through the gripping means, the rod line may be forced into the drill hole against the opposing subterranean oil and gas Well pres sures. A further object is to provide-andimproved rod line snubbing device for moving the rod line into the drill hole and withdrawing the rod line from the hole under constant control and while subjected to a relatively high subterranean pressure. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will, however,

subsequently more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawing there is shown for purposes of illustration one form which the invention may assume in practice. f Ingthis drawinm- .Y n

Fig. 1l is a side elevational view of the illustrative form of the improved rod line snubbing device. Y

Fig.2,is a bottom'planview of the snubbing 40 device shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a Vvertical sectional viewV taken substantially on line 3 3` of Fig. 2. l 'Fig. 4 is a vdetailvertcal sectional View taken ysubstantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Y j

Fig. 5 is a cross sectionalview taken substantiallyon lineV 5 5 of Fig. 4. I

In this illustrative :embodiment of the invention, which is a division of my copending application .SerialfNo 584,829, filed Jan.*5, 1932, the improved rod line snubbing device generally designated 1 comprisesa frame 2 having attached thereto at'its opposite ends suitable eyes 3,3 for'engagement'witha snubbing line and Asuitable lug and bolt connections 4, 4 for engagef ment with a catline tie, the catline tie and `nected at.15` to .a bracket 16 attachedto the ing -quickly downwardly von the operating line snubbing line herein arranged in the manner clearly described in the copending application above mentioned. The frame-2 oi the snubbing device' comprisesa body 5 having attached there` to oppositely projecting arms, herein in the form -of- I-bearns, t.A Formed inthe bedy 5 is a chamber '7 of tapered form having its side Walls converging upwardly in the manner shown in Fig. 3. In this chamber is aplurality of wedge--v shaped rod line gripping jaws or slips 8,- herein four in number, having tooth-like serrations 9 on` their innerv faces lfor gripping the rod line, and these jaws are normally maintained in their releasedr or spread-apart position by coiled springs 10 interposed between the jaws, as shown in Fig. 5. These jaws are each grooved at l1, and engaging these grooves isla-shifter collar 12 having trunnions 13 pivotally `connected to a shifter yoke 14. This ryoke* is pivotally conbottom of the adjacent vI-beam 6, and carries 4at its outer endaneye `1'7 `to which there is connected an` operating or-jerklline 18. Pivotally connected to thetrunnions 13 ofthe shifter co1- lar at opposite sides of the jaw body 5,.as shown in Fig. 4, are v.eye-'bolts 19guided within perforated ears 20 formed on the sides of the jaw bodyan'dnormally'fheld in `their raised position by coiled springs 21.v These eye-bolts kand springs normally maintain the jaws 8 in their upper` rod line gripping position; Secured to the shifter yoke 14 is a guide 'plate 22having formed therein a `slot 23 in which islguided a pin 24 carried by a pivoted latch 25. This latch is pivoted at 26 on a bracket 27 attached to the bottom of the adjacent I-beam 6 of the snubbing frame. VFormed at one end of the slot 23 is a notch 28, and when the shifter yoke is in its lowermost position, as indicated in dotted lines inFig. r1, the pin 24 of the latch drops into the 95 notch 28 to maintain the shifter yoke Vand grippingjaws in vtheir lowermost released posi` tion. v This latch'may bereleased simply by pull- 18 to cause the pin 24 to jump out of the notch 28. f p The improved'rod.linesnubbing device-'iis utilized to prevent jumping of the rod lineupwardly fromv the drill hole without proper control O5 while'subjected to a relatively high subterranean pressure and forlowering the rod line into the hole against theopposing pressure. 1.q Let it be assumed that theA ro'd line is being withdrawn from the hole under high subterranean pres- 110 sure. The snubbing device when in its operating position is suspended by the catline of the drilling apparatus with the snubbing line attached to the eyes 3, 3 of the snubbing frame. The snubbing device is then lowered by paying out the catline, and when the snubbing device is positioned above the upper end of the rod line the operator pulls on the operating line 18 to release the jaws 8, thereby enabling the snubbing `device to be slid down over the rod line. When the snubbing device is in position on the rod line, the operator releases the operating line 1S and the jaws 8 then engage the rod line. The hoisting tackle of the drilling apparatus is then operated to take up any slack in the snubbing line, thereby to hold thesnubbing device in position. Upon any tendency of upward move-r ment voi the rod line from the drill hole by the pressure in the well, the jaws of the snubbing device tightly grip the rod line and hold the same against such movement. rlhe snubber is held down by the snubbing line associated with the hoisting mechanism of the drilling apparatus,-and is held in position thereby, and as a result the rod line cannot move out of the hole.

The hoisting tackle of the drilling apparatus is then operated to slacken up on the snubbing line, to permit movement of the snubbing device upwardly, thereby allowing the pressure in the well to force the rod line out of the hole under the control of the snubbing device. Conversely, if it is desired to force the rod line into the hole against the opposing subterranean pressure, this may be accomplished by slackening up of the catline connected to the bolt and lug connections 4, 4 of the snubber frame, while the hoisting mechanism is operated to move the snubber frame downwardly, thereby ,causing the snubbing device, together with the rod line, to-be forced downwardly `against the opposing subterranean pressure by power sufciently to overcome the opposing pressure. The jaws 8 of the snubbing device may be released at will simply by pulling on the operating line 18 to move the shifter yoke into its lowermost position, the shifter yoke being held in this position .by thelatch 25. i

. As a result of this invention', it will be noted that an improved rod line controlling mechanism is provided whereby the rod line of an oil and gas well drilling apparatus may be moved into and out of the drill hole under constant control andwhile subjected to relatively high subterranean pressure. It will further be noted that an improved rod line snubbing device is provided, of an extremely simple and rugged design and having improved mounting and operating means for the gripping jaws. These and other uses and advantages of the improved rod line .snubbing device will be clearly apparent torthose n skilled in the art.

yLetters Patent is:

While there is in this application specifically described one form which the invention may yassume' in practice, it -will be understood that sition, and means for simultaneously releasing said snubbing jaws at will against the action of said yieldable means comprising a release lever pivoted on said frame and connected to said jaws. j

2.'A rod line snubbing device comprising a Jframe, supporting connections on said frame, controlling connections on said frame for bodily moving said frame, said frame having a chamber therein, snubbing jaws arranged in said chamber, yieldable means for normally maintaining said snubbing jaws in their operative position, and means for simultaneously releasing said jaws at will against the action of said yieldable means comprising a release lever pivoted on said frame and connected to said jaws. L' 3. A rod line snubbing device comprising a `casing having a chamber therein, snubbing jaws arranged in said chamber, yieldable means for normally maintaining said jaws in their uppermost operative position, and means for simultaneously moving said jaws downwardly at will to release the same against the action of said .yieldable means comprising a lever pivotally mounted on the bottom of said casing and a cooperating member pivotally connected to said lever and engaging all of said jaws.

4. In a rod line snubbing device, a frame having a chamber having its side walls converging upwardly, wedge-shaped snubbing jaws arranged in'said chamber, yieldable means for normally maintaining said snubbing jaws in their raised rod line gripping position, and means operable at will for simultaneously moving said snubbing jaws downwardly to release the same from' the rod line against the action of said yieldable means comprising a lever pivotally mounted on the bottom of said frame and a cooperating member pivotally connected to said lever and engaging all offsaid jaws.

Y5. A rod line snubbing device comprising a frame, supporting connections on the frame, controlling connections on the frame for bodily moving the latter, said frame having a tapered chamber therein having its inclined side walls converging upwardly, wedge-shaped snubbing jaws arranged in said chamber, yieldable means for normally maintaining said snubbing jaws in their raised rod line gripping position, and means operable at will for simultaneously moving said jaws downwardly to release the same from the rod `line against the action of said yieldable means including a lever connected to an element of said yieldable means. l

v6. A rod line snubbing 'device comprising a casing having a'tapered chamber therein, the inclined side walls of which converge upwardly, wedge-shaped snubbing jaws arranged insaid chamber, Ymeans for normally maintaining said jaws inV their raised rod Iline gripping position, and means for simultaneously moving said jaws downwardly at will to release the same from the rod line against the actionof said yieldable means including a lever connected to an element of said yieldable means. Y

7. In a rod line snubbing device, a frame having a chamber, snubbing jawsl arranged in said chamber, meansfor normally `maintaining said snubbing jaws in their operative snubbing position, meanscooperating with elements ofthe first mentioned means for releasing said snub- .bing jaws at will, andmeans associated with said releasing means and-comprising a locking element -engageable with an element of said relos leasing means for holding the latter in its jaw releasing position.

8. In a rod line snubbing device, a frame having a chamber, snubbing jaws arranged in said chamber, means for normally maintaining said snubbing jaws in their operative snubbing position, means for releasing said snubbing jaws at will including a pivoted operating lever, and means associated with said releasing means for holding the latter in its jaw releasing position including a latch pivotally mounted on the snubber frame and engaging the jaw operating lever.

9. A rod line snubbing device comprising a casing having a tapered chamber therein, the inclined side walls of which converge upwardly, wedge-shaped snubbing jaws arranged in said chamber, yieldable means for normally maintaining said jaws in their raised rod line gripping position, and means for simultaneously moving said jaws downwardly at will to release the same from the rod line against the action of said yieldable means comprising a jaw moving member cooperating with elements of said yieldable means.

10. In a rod line snubbing device, a frame having a chamber, snubbing jaws arranged in said chamber, yieldable means for normally maintaining said snubbing jaws in their operative snubbing position, means cooperating with an element of said yieldable means for releasing said snubbing jaws at will, and means associated with said releasing means comprising a locking element engageable with an element of said releasing means, for holding the latter in its jaw releasing position. f

11. In a rod line snubbing device, a frame having a chamber, snubbing jaws arranged in said chamber,A yieldable means for normally maintaining said snubbing jaws in their operative snubbing position, means for releasing said snubbing jaws at will including a pivoted operating lever, and means associated with said releasing means for holding the latter in its jaw releasing position including a latch pivotally mounted on the snubber frame and engaging the jaw operating lever.

f EUGENE WHINNEN. 

